Manufacturer Warranties and Protection Plans

[josby]

I'm planning to buy a Canon S100 camera, and will buy it at BB if I decide I want to get an extended warranty with it.  So, I came to this forum to research the warranty's value to me.

I picked this particular camera after much research, and my concern is that if BB had to replace it in the future, they may not replace it with something I'd consider comparable.  There are dozens and dozens of specs on a camera, but I'm worried BB may only consider the most trivial ones, like megapixels and optical zoom, when deciding what's comparable.

I've read the fine print of the current GSBTPP and it just says "we will replace it with a product of like kind and quality that is of comparable performance".  Is there a document anywhere (online or in-store) that details the criteria BB would use when choosing what future camera is comparable?  If not, how does the decision of what is comparable get made?  Is there an official way to dispute this if you disagree with BB's decision?

Thanks!

[redbarron55 · Accepted solution]

The short answer is that Geek Squad will replace it with what they determine is of like quality or features taking into account the prorated value of the device and at that time your protection period ends even if you have paid for many more years of coverage.

If they buy it back than the value will be prorated.

This is even though you paid a high price for X years of coverage.

Remembet the small print is not for your protection, b ut rather for the protection of Best Buy / Geek Squad.

My previous post here somehow failed to be posted. I wonder why?

[redbarron55]

Please note that Best Buy has not jumped in to correct any misstatements I may have made.

Basically the "protection" is mostly to protect Best Buy / Geek Squad.

I know you thought that you were buying protection that the sales person promised, but the salesman spoke and the fine print and it's interpretation taketh away.

[deusexmachina Valued Contributor · Accepted solution]

The protection plan will not end if your unit is not covered by the overlap of the MFG warranty and the extended service plan. However, if the issue is something the MFG does not cover (drops and spills for example) and they deem the product not worth fixing, they will swap it out and consume your service plan. That isn't what the OP was asking about though.

There is no official posted criteria as it would be impossible to have for every single product type that Best Buy offers. The comparable unit will need to match your product as best as possible. The features that distinguish products vary greatly...so things like being able to shoot in RAW, the type of sensor, etc will be important. Keep in mind though that if you end up exchanging  it in like 2 years, the value of the comparable unit will probably be much lower than what you originally paid. The value of the replacement unit cannot exceed the original purchase price. So if the most comparable camera costs more than what you paid and they have nothing else comparable to it, you'd get your original purchase price back on a gift card. Also, keep in mind that the coverage is a service plan... so it'll need to be serviced/repaired before they will replace it.

After three (3) qualified service repairs have been
completed on an individual product and that
individual product requires a fourth (4th) qualified
repair, as determined by us, we will replace it with a
product of like kind and quality that is of comparable
performance or reimburse you for replacement of the
product with a voucher or gift card, at our discretion,
equal to the current market value of the product, as
determined by us, not to exceed the original purchase
price of your product, including taxes.

http://www.geeksquad.com/uploadedFiles/wwwgeeksquadcom/protection_plans/black_tie/1941-0230921-terms...

[josby]

Thanks for the replies. It sounds like the GSBTPP is intended for people who don't understand technology, or at least are not picky about it. If my camera broke two years from now, I wouldn't care if the replacement they offered cost less than my original had, but I would expect the replacement to meet or exceed ALL of the specifications of the original. Instead, it sounds like I'd be at the mercy of whichever BB employee I happened to get that day to decide which features were important and which ones don't count. The end result of that would be me being really mad and probably coming on here to complain about it. So, thank you for sparing me that. I'll buy somewhere else.

[njwoods]

A gift card would be great. They give store credit which only allows you to get best buy items on line and not other vendors.

[redbarron55]

If you read the posts from the customers who have purchased the BBGSBTPP you will find that you are better off not buying the plan and for that matter buying somewhere else.

Take heed of what you see here.

Also notice that the majority of the pro part of the pro and con are Best Buy Employees and ex employees who probably live in Richfield MN. They know how much it would hurt the local economy when BB goes under.